Blackbird
by PaintedNutmeg
Summary: my take on things. As the story progresses, things go backwards chronologically. I don't own anyone. Please Review. Has been discontinued.
1. Blackbird

Lucy and Max were sitting by the river, where Lucy had gone so many times before. It was a cold, gray November day.

"He's not coming back, is he?" Lucy asked Max, looking up at him from her spot nearest the water.

"I don't know Luce," he replied.

"I want him to."

"Yeah I know. Trust me I know," Max said, knowing how much she was hurting.

"He was, your best friend."

"And, your boyfriend."

"Yeah well look what the fuck happened to Daniel. He's dead Max-"

"I'm well aware of that."

"Don't give me that. He's dead and nothing _nothing_ can bring him back. I was afraid I'd lost you. Hell I've lost most everyone anyway; Sadie, JoJo, Prudence, Jude when is he coming back Max?" Lucy asked desperately.

"I don't know. I wish I had an answer for you but…I don't."

"Mom and Dad are still in Europe and god knows where Julia is. But you're here"

"Yes, I am."

"Jude was right………."

"Oh?"

"Yeah he said he said……..you're so twisted you'll bend your way out of this fix."

Max smiled, remembering Jude, picturing him saying that.

"We were right here when he said that. Right here. God I miss him," Lucy continued.

"I know you do. And I miss him too Lucy."

"But you, even you've changed," Lucy continued.

"Oh we've all changed Lucy even you have. Did you really expect us not to?"

"Well, yes I did actually even though I knew…"

"That it wasn't possible," Max finished.

"Yeah."

"Oh."

"and shit Max the war keeps getting worse and worse and nobody's listening and it was my fault Jude left I drove him away and my scars keep getting worse and………….worst of all………I'm pregnant."

"Whoa back up slow down. Your scars?" Max questioned.

"Yes Max my scars."

"From…?"

"From cutting."

"When did you start?"

"Day after Daniel's funeral."

"Wow."

"Yeah I know."

"Does Jude know?"

"No, he doesn't. I cut in places most wouldn't."

"Oh. And you're still going at it?"

"Yes I'm still going at it."

"And you're pregnant."

"Yes I'm pregnant."

"With?"

"It's Jude's. And mine."

"And he doesn't know. "

"No, he doesn't know. Of course not Max how the hell would he know he's all the way in England."

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault. And I shouldn't've yelled."

"Lucy."

"Yeah?"

"I just want you to be careful."

"I will."

There was a pause.

"You know, you're not the only one," Max said.

Lucy looked at him; "you mean you?"

"Yes I do."

"Wow. I can only imagine what Julia's gotten herself into…………with you going off to war and me……being the way I am."

"Yeah and our parents in Europe. And Prudence, off to wherever she is."


	2. Liverpool

Meanwhile, back in Liverpool………..

"Here love," the female bartender said, placing yet another glass of beer in front of Jude.

The late afternoon sun shone through the windows facing the street. It was quiet in the bar, not many people were there.

"Thanks," Jude said, not looking up from the amber liquid.

The amber liquid…….what a beautiful title for a song. It also reminded Jude of that day, one of the first days he'd met Max, the same day he'd looked for his dad at Princeton, and found him. His father wanted nothing to do with him, which shouldn't have been much of a surprise to Jude, who was still angry about that. His dad had, however, tried to keep him in America. America……..where everyone was. And everything, that mattered. Besides his mom, and Molly. Who was now living with Phil and pregnant. Jude wondered if Lucy was pregnant…….it seemed a likely possibility .


	3. Mrs Carrigan

Over in Europe……….

Mr. and Mrs. Carrigan were staying in a 2 room hotel in France. 2 rooms, 2 separate beds. Mrs. Carrigan was up late, thinking. She assumed her husband was asleep. A phrase entered her mind and she thought back to the day. And the time.

"I just don't want my beautiful daughter to get hurt," she'd told Lucy, when Lucy had called her from the riots several years earlier. Hurt, Mrs. Carrigan thought. Hurt…….like I was. Her and so many other women. Probably even Jude's mother, whom she'd never met.


	4. Dear Prudence

_Dear Prudence……it's a brand new day……._

Prudence woke up, still depressed, despite her having shared a circus tent with her girlfriend Rita the past 3 months. That phrase, that song had been in her dream. And it brought her back to that day. She was, quite literally, in the closet of Sadie's apartment, the one they were all sharing. She'd been in there all night, having flashbacks and such. She hadn't wanted to talk to anyone and they were all worried about her. Sadie, JoJo, Max, Jude and Lucy. Sadie and JoJo had a show to go to and they were going to be late. But Sadie didn't care; she was more worried about Prudence than anything. Not at all like her own mother. Oh how Prudence longed for those days. But they were long gone and so much, too much, had happened since then. She'd left to join the circus, where she met Rita. Rita, that tall, thin, gorgeous, sweet woman who, within a day or so, had become her girlfriend. No one in the circus cared but she didn't see why they would, as they were circus people. Mr. Kite, as he was called, had welcomed her into his giant orange tent and heart with open arms, love and acceptance. And the Henderson's what a strange group. But she loved them all of them. It was just, so different, being here.

Max had gone off to war………she'd no idea if he'd come back or not. Sadie had left and Jude and Lucy, JoJo……….she didn't know about the rest, where they'd gone what they were doing.

Prudence noticed her girlfriend had been observing her from their bed.

"Hey," she said to Prudence.

Prudence looked at her.

"Yeah?" she asked.

"You ok hun?"

"No, as usual, I'm not."

"Want to talk about it?"


	5. The Amber Liquid

The line "sharing a drink we call loneliness but it's better than drinking alone" is from the Billy Joel song Piano Man.

"You know," the bartender said.

Jude looked up.

"Yes?" he said, looking into her warm gentle eyes.

"I don't normally do this but um are you alrite?"

"Well," Jude sighed; "No actually I'm not. And thank you, for that, by the way," Jude said, quoting a line Max had said to him several years earlier. "for…….for reminding me."

"Well, you know, you didn't have to…" the bartender began.

"No I'm sorry. It's my fault entirely. And…I didn't mean to be so bitter."

"It's quite alrite love."

"it's Jude, actually."

"I'm Lisa. Care to unload a bit?"

"Well if you don't mind….."

"Course not that's what I'm here for. And it's not as though I've anything else to do, which I haven't."

"Well…I miss my girlfriend. Lucy, is her name. she's…"

"In the sky with diamonds?" Lisa interrupted, smiling.

"No but lately it's seemed that way."

"A long way away from here then?"

"Yes. Back in the states, actually. From which I had to leave."

"Ohh. Well I've a question for you Jude."

"Yeah go ahead."

"If she's in the sky, or so it seems, then where are you?"

"I'm I'm sorry I'm afraid I don't understand," Jude returned.

"You said she's in the sky with diamonds, or least it seems that way."

"Mmhmm."

"As in, she's distant."

"Well Lisa she is! She's all the way in the states."

"I know that. But………where are you then?"

"Oh. Wow that's quite a question."

"Yes, it is. Fancy some water love?" Lisa asked.

"Hmm?"

"I just don't you want to get incredibly hungover," Lisa replied, indicating the beer.

"Oh. Yeah, thanks."

"Ok coming right up."

Jude looked around at the very few people left in the bar.

"Seems me, and the others here, are sharing a drink we call loneliness but it's better than drinking along," he said.

"Yes, that is so. It's true most days, actually."

"So I've noticed."

A pause while Jude sipped some more of his beer.

"And, I miss them, all of them." Jude said.

Lisa looked at him; "who?"

"Max, Sadie, JoJo, Rocky, Prudence though I don't know where she is at the moment. Last I heard she'd up and left, as had Sadie. Prudence joined the circus."

"Oh? And they are?"

"Well Max is Lucy's older brother, and Sadie was our landlady, back in New York. JoJo, Prudence, Max and Sadie are my friends."

"Oh. And Rocky?"

"Rocky he's Sadie's cat. He looks like a raccoon." Jude smiled, remembering.

Lisa smiled as well.

"Seems to fit the times," she said.

"What?"

"Rocky, like the times."

"Oh. Max and I, we'd grown really close. And god Lucy's…..Lucy's got beauty like you wouldn't believe. Golden hair, these incredible blue eyes…..god what a woman. Prudence is sweet, and tiny. Sadie, despite her passion, is really sweet, and took us all in. And Max is…..twisted, also like you wouldn't believe. He's fun though we had fun together."

"Why don't you go after them?" Lisa asked.

Jude was taken aback by the suggestion.

"Um what?" he asked.

"Er exscuse me?"

"If this lot is as wonderful as you say they are then they're probably missing you just as much as not more," Lisa clarified.

"Alrite," Jude said, standing up; "thanks."

"Oh its nothing really that's what I'm here for. Anytime you need to talk love."

Jude left the bar, and made his way down the sidewalk.


	6. Cynthia

I would like some help on how to make this chapter less confusing. Cynthia is lucy's mom, fred is her dad and laura is lucy's grandmother.

It was 1942, about 20 years earlier………

"_No Cynthia," her mom said sternly; "you cannot go to the dance with Jacob. I want you to go with Robert, as he is your boyfriend."_

"_But Mom!" Cynthia protested; "I want to go with Jacob!"_

"_There's just something about him I don't trust, that I cant quite put my finger on it, but there's just that something."_

"_Oh why not mom? Cmon," Cynthia asked._

"_I just……I just don't want my beautiful daughter to get hurt."_

"_Oh let her go Laura," Cynthia's dad said; "let her have a little fun."_

_Cynthia looked toward her dad, her dark blue eyes sparkling; "thank you dad," she said, smiling._

"_Well, you two," Laura said; "have made it perfectly clear that this is one argument I won't win. Alrite Cynthia you can go but be careful and don't say I didn't warn you."_

"_Ok Mom I will."_

If only Mrs. Cynthia had known something was going to happen that would have made her pregnant. If only shed listened to her mothers warning. But she didn't. She loved Max of course she did. She loved all her children equally. It was just hard, realizing he wasn't Fred's son and she still hadn't told him. What with Max being in the war and all she didn't think now was the right time. But she would, soon. She didn't know how she would do it exactly but she would. Phone call? Letter? Face-to-face? She went in to talk to her husband about this decision.


	7. Strawberry Fields

By the way, a 'factory' was a building in the '60's, where people had parties and hung out. I.e., Dr. Robert's party and the party in the movie I'm Not There.

Jude was walking to his flat when he took a wrong turn, seeing a gray metal gate in front of him. He immediately knew what it was even before reading the sign. Strawberry Fields. Jude was suddenly flooded with memories. This was where he used to visit growing up. This was where most of his time was spent. Either this or the dock. He'd always loved water.

_Let me take you down cuz I'm going to strawberry fields_

He was there already

_Where nothing is real_

And it hadn't been when they were at the factory, at Dr. Robert's party. Everything was colourful, and fun. But this, this incredibly powerful, emotional, real moment brought it all back.

_Nothing to get hung about strawberry fields forever_

Maybe it would always bee this way, this neverending war.

_Living is easy with eyes closed_

During the party they'd all had their eyes closed refusing to see what was to come, like Cassandra, the woman who predicted her own future.

_Misunderstanding all you see_

And for all they and anyone else knew……….as Sadie once pointed out, Max could've murdered his grandmother with a silver hammer. You never really know a person, what they were capable of.

_It's getting hard to be someone_

He thought back to that warm, glorious summer day he'd wanted to pet the cows. Everything was silly and wonderful and nothing made sense. It still doesn't but not in the way it had then. That was the day he and lucy had sex. That seemed ages ago. Everything, happiness does when youre this lonely, depressed.

His quote entered his mind; "that's right because if everyones someone then no one can be anyone."

_I am me as you are he as we are we and we are here together_

But they weren't, anymore.

_But it all works out_

He wanted it to

_It doesn't matter much to me_

And it didn't. nothing mattered anymore

_What would you do if I sang out of tune would you stand up and walk out on me_

No he wouldn't. No one did that everyone was unified. But he'd certainly walked out on Lucy though. Or she'd walked out on him, rather. A long long time ago.

_How do you feel by the end of the day are you sad because you're on your own_

Yes he was. But this day had been going on for years.

_I get by with a little help from my friends_

They weren't anywhere near him

_I've just seen a face _

He had. Lucy's. One he would never forget.

_I can't forget the time or place_

The bowling alley, Thanksgiving Day. The first time he'd lain eyes on Lucy. But now she was in the sky, with the other diamonds the other…….women. And where was he? He thought back to Lisa's question. He still didn't know. He was so…….lost.

_Tomorrow I'll miss you_

And he did, terribly. But it had been many tomorrows.

_And then while I'm away I'll write home every day_

Maybe that's what he should do.

_Words are flowing out like endless rain into a paper cup_

Rain so much rain. So many tears.

_Nothing's gonna change my world_

But it had changed. Everything had changed. There, it, was too much to take in.

_Because the world is round_

Lucy, if she was, in fact, pregnant, was probably quite round.

Jude let himself lean against the gate, slide down it and put his head on his knees where he stayed.


	8. Helter Skelter

Sadie sat in a coffee shop, thinking over all that happened.

_When I get to the bottom_

She already was. Rock bottom, as the expression goes. And her cat Rocky. He looked like a raccoon. Her only comfort now.

_I'm coming down fast _

She had started slipping down into this wonderland of depression a long long time ago at a rapid pace.

_but I'm miles above you_

Dr. Robert's party. They were miles above everyone due to the pink punch they'd had.

_Don't let me down_

But he had. Everyone had.


	9. Get Back

JoJo sat in the apartment, alone, except for Rocky, the cat that resembled a raccoon. It was quiet since Sadie and Prudence split, Max had gone off to war but was now back, and Jude had left the country. Lucy and her brother, JoJo knew, were down by the river where Lucy and Jude had spent so much time together. JoJo knew Jude missed Lucy just as he missed Sadie.

_I look at the world and I notice it's turning_

What with everything going on the days were still the same amount of time, 24 hours each. The sun rose and set each day no matter what was going in the world at that current time.

_And in my hour of darkness_

The hours had grown into days, weeks, months and finally years. Long dark hours filled with emotion, music and turbulence.

_Got to be good lookin cause he's so hard to see_

Which he was, incredibly good looking.


	10. Lucy

_And then I might_

_Never be the lonely one_

But she was. She was tremendously lonely. Even though she had Max, JoJo and Rocky, the cat, for companions she was still lonely.

_Making love to only you_

And she had, that day at the factory in the multi-colored room. That was her second time, having sex. Her first was with Daniel who was now dead. But this, this was her first time being pregnant.

_Since you left me I'm so alone_

Which she was.

_Every day I've done nothing but cry_

Since Jude left she'd nothing but cry, every day, and sometimes more than once. Sometimes quietly sometimes loud, big, choking sobs. She knew it frightened and hurt her brother to see her like this. It was either this, cutting or sleeping. She hardly ever ate anymore. She was like a tiny, frail little bird. Like Prudence. Except for one thing.

_Because the world is round_

She was pregnant.


	11. Girl

Jude was sitting in the same position he'd been in earlier, against the gate, when he heard a voice singing.

"Hey Jude," she began.

He knew it right away. One of his previous girlfriends, an African American woman by the name of Ruby.

"Don't make it bad," she continued; "take a sad song and make it better."

It's as though she was sending him a message. He looked up, lifting his slightly to see ruby coming toward him.

"Oh hey Jude," she said when she saw him.

He just looked at her.

"Hey Ruby," he whispered, knowing full well she couldn't hear him.

Before all this had started, Ruby had come to his flat, looking for a place to stay for the night and just like that Jude and his mom had taken her in. She and Jude had quickly fallen in love.

Ruby approached Jude.


	12. JoJo

"Do you know what you're going to name it?" Max asked.

"What?" Lucy asked.

"The baby. Do you know what you're going to name it?"

"Oh. I was thinking Clara if she's a girl and Jeremy if he's a boy."

"Oh. When are you planning to tell Jude?"

"I don't know."

"You have to sometime."

"Yeah I know."

"You also, have to eat." Max said.

Lucy sighed; "oh this again."

"Well I'm sorry but I'm worried about you. And you're eating for 2 now remember?"

"Yeah I guess you're right."

"You're also going to need to tell our parents, eventually."

"That I'm pregnant?" Lucy asked.

"Yeah. I mean, they're going to be grandparents Lucy and they're going to wonder whose it is."

"You're right."

JoJo had wandered down to the river.

"Hey what are you 2 doing down here?" he asked, though it was fairly obvious.

"We were talking, about Jude," Max replied.

"Oh."

"Lucy's-"

"No I want to tell him," Lucy said.

"Ok go ahead."

"Tell me tell me what?" JoJo asked.

Lucy turned to JoJo; "well…I'm pregnant."

"Oh jeez. Does Jude know? I mean assuming its Jude's."

"It is. And no, he doesn't."

"Oh. Well you better tell him."

"Yeah I know but I just don't know when."

"I would say soon."

"Yes well that's fairly obvious."


	13. 1942

The year is 1942……….

_Cynthia's boyfriend Robert had picked her up and they drove to the dance. Cynthia was glad to have this chance to go out and glad that her parents had agreed to it. If only she had known what was to come._

_It was a different time then, even though America was stuck inside a war. The second, of many. The skirts were rounder and the music was big band swing, something with a lot of energy. The colors of the time were navy, red and white. Men were soldiers and women couldn't wear stockings. Or pants, for that matter. Katherine Hepburn was among one of the first women to wear pants, challenge the system. The real challenging didn't start until the 1960's, however._

_Cynthia's blue eyes sparkled in anticipation and excitement as she sat by her boyfriend in his car on the way to the dance. _

"_You look gorgeous, even though you already are," Robert told her. _

"_Thank you. And you look…………well you look very nice yourself." _

"_Thank you." _

"_Uh huh. My parents had a bit of an argument over whether I was to come or not." _

"_Well I'm glad you did. I wouldn't have fun without you." _

"_Aww Robert that's so sweet." _

"_It's true too." _

_They pulled up to the dance, got out and went inside where people were gathered. _

"_Care for a smoke?" Jacob asked Cynthia. _

"_Well sure if everyone else is doing it," she replied all bubbly and bright. _

_He gave her a cigarette and lit it with his zippo lighter. And its true, everyone was smoking. _

"_God you're gorgeous," Jacob said. _

"_So I've heard." _

"_Come dance with me for a bit." _

"_Well…" Cynthia hesitated. _

"_Go right ahead. I have some catching up to do," Robert said. _

"_Ok," Cynthia said; "cmon lets dance."_

And that was the moment it all started.


	14. Hey Jude

_Hey Jude, _Max wrote. _Don't make it bad. Take a sad song and make it better._

_I'm just having a bit of fun with you man. Jude………I need, we need your help. You need to come back to America. Lucy's fallen apart. She's not eating…….there's more but I'd rather she hear it from you. I'm really worried about her. She, JoJo and I are the only ones left in the apartment. JoJo's taken over as the landlord. We don't know when, if ever, Sadie and Prudence are coming back. How's Liverpool? If you get this, write to me._

_Max_


	15. Nancy

Nancy ran through that cold, gray November day and down the sidewalk. In front of her, across the street she saw the side of a tall apartment building. She crossed the street, and, not seeing any doors, she climbed the stairs into which she realized was the bathroom. It was going to rain and she didn't have an umbrella; she needed some place to go.

"What the hell…" Max muttered.

He looked up and saw a blonde woman coming in through the bathroom window.

"Hi sorry did I scare you?" Nancy asked.

"Er no. I'm Max and who might you be?"

"Well I'm…it's kind of complicated, actually."

"Oh is that so?"

"Yeah my names Magill but I call myself Lil and everyone knows me as Nancy."

"Well that doesn't answer my question."

"Oh you can call me Nancy."

"Ok."

JoJo was sitting in a chair in the living room.

"Where you from Nancy?" he asked, as he'd done several years earlier of Prudence..

"Nowhere man," Nancy replied.

"And before nowhere?"

"The Dakotas."

"Oh."

Lucy walked by on her way to the kitchen.

"Where'd she come from?" she asked, of Nancy, quoting Sadie.

"Oh her?" Max asked.

"Yeah."

"She came in through the bathroom window."

"Oh so she did. Who'r'u?" Lucy asked.

"I'm Nancy. From the Dakotas. And you?"

"I'm Lucy. You want something to eat?"

"Yeah whatdoya got?" Nancy asked, coming into the living room.

"Follow me," Lucy said, continuing on her way to the kitchen.

Nancy spotted the cat.

"Oh is that your cat I love cats," she commented.

"Yeah that's Rocky. He used to be Sadie's but now he's ours since Sadie split."

"And Sadie is…?"

"She was our landlady."

"Oh. He looks like a raccoon."

"Yeah he does."

Lucy and Nancy entered the kitchen where Lucy opened the fridge and searched for food.

"You mind if I stay for a bit? I mean, I've really nowhere else to go…" Nancy said.

"No, course not. But you'll have to talk it over with JoJo."

"The man in the living room that wasn't Max?"

"Yeah he's our landlord."

"Ok. Wow Max is so incredibly….."

"Good looking?" Lucy guessed.

Nancy smiled; "yeah."

"He's also my brother. Older, brother."

"You have any younger ones?"

"No I do have a younger sister though. Julia."

"Oh."

"And you?"

"None."

"Oh. You know, Max is single if you're interested."

"Oh."

"Would you exscuse me Nancy I have a phone call to make," Lucy said.

"Yeah sure."

Lucy left the kitchen ad JoJo entered it.

"What do you want to eat?" he asked Nancy.

"Well what do you have?"


	16. Phone Calls

Lucy picked up the phone and dialed Jude's number.

"Hello?" a woman answered.

"Yes is this er are you……..Jude's mother?"

"Yes I am. What can I do for you?"

"is Jude there?"

"No love I'm sorry he's out for a bit. I'll tell him you rang though."

"Thanks."

"And who might you be?"

"I'm Lucy."


	17. Ruby

After Jude and Ruby talked they walked back to Jude's flat, where Jude opened the door and they went inside. Jude closed and locked the door behind him.

"Mom," he called.

"Yes dear?" his mom called from another room.

"Look who I found."

"Who? Ohhh," his mom poked her head in.

"Hi Martha," Ruby said.

Martha went into the living room and hugged Ruby.

"Ruby how good to see you dear," she said.

"Yeah you too."

"How long has it been?"

"Oh quite some time."

Jude turned to go up the stairs.

"Oh Jude?" Martha called.

Jude turned back around.

"Yes?" he asked.

"A letter came for you," he said handing it to him.

"Oh and someone rang. Said her name was Lucy?"

"Oh."

Jude went upstairs to read the letter while his mom and Ruby chatted downstairs.


	18. Max's Letter

Once in his room Jude opened the letter, and the envelope containing it.

_Hey Jude,_ it said. _Don't make it bad. Take a sad song and make it better._

Jude smiled sadly, remembering the lines Ruby had sung earlier that same day. Jude proceeded to read the rest of the letter. It was from Max.

After he read the letter he wrote to Max.

_Max,_ he wrote.

_How nice to hear from you. I miss Lucy and you and oh everyone. I've decided I'll be coming back to America. Have you found a job yet? I got so depressed after leaving the states that I couldn't work. I haven't heard from Sadie or Prudence either. Not that I would, being overseas and such. Don't tell Lucy; I want it to be a surprise. Liverpool's ok; ran into my ex girlfriend Ruby earlier today when I was down at strawberry fields. She and mom are chatting it up downstairs._

_I'll see you soon_

_Jude_


	19. The First Incident

1942

_Cynthia and Jacob were dancing when he put his hand on her chest. _

"_What are you doing?" she whispered. _

"_Dancing, same thing you are," he replied. _

"_No I mean…what are you_ doing?"

_Robert looked up from talking with his friends. _

"_Hey," he said to Jacob. _

_He held up a finger to his friends; "exscuse me." _

_They nodded. Robert walked over to Jacob and Cynthia. _

"_What are you doing?" Robert asked. _

"_Dancing, same thing she, and everyone else, is doing." _

"_No, you're not. I saw what was going on here. Don't you ever lay a hand on her again." _

_Robert took Cynthia into a corner. _

"_I am so sorry," Robert apologized. _

"_It's alrite it's not your fault." _

"_Are you ok hun?" _

"_I….i don't know."_

_Fred, one of Roberts's friends, came over to them._


	20. Lucy In The Sky

_Dear Jude_, Lucy wrote.

_I've something to tell you. I'm well I'm pregnant. It's from the night we had sex, at the factory. Because the world is round Jude that's why. If she's a girl I'm thinking of naming her Clara and if he's a boy, Jeremy._

_Lucy_


	21. Because

Another letter had come for Jude, from Lucy. It confirmed what he'd been wondering about. Lucy was, in fact, pregnant. _Because the world is round Jude that's_ why she'd written. And now so was she. The name Clara reminded him of that ballet The Nutcracker, though he'd never seen it. Clarabella. Clear beauty is what it meant. Now he had even more of a reason to go back to America.


	22. maggie

Jude went downstairs into the kitchen.

"Where you goin love?" his mom asked.

"Oh just out for a walk."

"Ok."

He left his flat and walked down the sidewalk. Pretty soon he came to a young woman leering at him.

"I need to make some money and you're just the guy I'm looking for," she said.

"No really that's quite alrite," he said.

"I'm Maggie by the way."

"How bout I buy you a beer instead?" he asked.

"Alrite I'll settle for that," she replied in a cockney accent.

Jude and Maggie walked to the bar.

"How long you been out here?" he asked her.

"Oh it's my job the only way I make money."

"Doesn't seem a very fulfilling one to me."

"No it's not. You know, in a few years AIDS will be goin round. That's what lady Madonna told me."

"AIDS? Lady Madonna?" Jude questioned.

"This horrible STI. Better to get yourself tested now love. You don't want to end up with anything."

"Have you been…?"

"Oh no. I haven't the money to go somewhere and get tested."

"Oh. Wow. I never knew…."

"How the other side lives? Yes well here I am."

"Now who's this lady Madonna you mentioned?"

"She's a prophet. Has a lot of children, suitcases and very little money."

Jude and Maggie entered the bar where Jude had been earlier that day.


	23. letter to jude

_Hey Jude,_

_It's great that you'll be back in America. I won't tell Lucy. She's still waitressing, ironic considering her situation. I'm a cab driver now so I'll be the one picking you up. You could do an art job seeing as you're quite talented. We have a new tenant, Nancy. She's very pretty with long blonde hair. Looks a bit like Joni Mitchell._

_I'll see you soon_

_Max_


	24. Rape

1942

_After Cynthia, Robert and Fred talked they went back to dancing and talking. Cynthia and Fred danced together and Robert resumed his talking. Jacob approached Cynthia and Fred. _

"_Hey mind if I cut in?" he asked. _

"_No course not go ahead," Fred said, leaving to talk with Robert and the guys. _

_Jacob took Cynthia's hand. _

"_Let's go somewhere we can talk somewhere quiet," he said. _

_Cynthia looked around nervously. _

"_Well um…" she said. _

"_Cmon follow me," Jacob said, pulling her away. _

_He led her into a room where he shut and locked the door locking them both in. _

"_You know I really don't think we should…" Cynthia protested. _

"_Be quiet," Jacob said, slamming her against the door. _

_He pinned her arms above her head, against the door, and started kissing her. She turned her head away. Cynthia tried to bring her arms down to turn the doorknob but Jason slammed her down onto the floor and did away with her. Cynthia then fled the dance and 9 months later Max was born._


	25. mrs carrigan's letter

1960's

After discussing the decision with her husband Mrs. Carrigan started a letter to Max.

_Dear Max,_ she wrote.

_I have something to tell you and it isn't easy. This has been tumbling around in my mind for quite sometime, this debate of whether or not to tell you. I didn't tell you before because you were at war, dealing with that, and I didn't think that a very good time. But seeing as you're back I think I will._

_Max………I'm afraid that you're not Fred's son. Fred is your dad, of course, as you know. And well, biologically, you're not his son. You're……..Jacob's son, although right now as you read this you've no idea who that is. Well, you see back in 1942 I went to a dance where Jacob someone also at the dance had uncensored sex with me. I know you're probably very angry and confused right now and have lots of questions. I'll understand if you don't want to talk. I'd apologise but I don't think that will do anything._

_Mom_


End file.
